Written by the Hebraica Team, Regional and Cooperative Cataloging Division, Library of Congress.

Performed by Lynn El Hoshy and Tom Yee at the

"Educational Forum on Form Subdivisions Implementation,"

New Orleans, LA, June 25, 1999

But first, ... a word from our sponsor:

Customer: Subfields A, B, and C; Subfields X, Y, and Z..... So many subfields to choose from. How do I know which one is right for me?

Specialist: If you’re fretting over your form or having jitters about your genre, try new Vita-Vee brand of Subfield $V. Clinical tests have proven that patrons wish to limit their subject searches by form. Just look at these before and after images:

Customer: But how do I know when it’s better to use subfield $v rather than subfield $x? Don’t some subdivisions take either $x or $v depending on the context?

Specialist: Just read the directions on the label: Take one or two, as needed, usually at the end of a string. Code as subfield $v when the subdivision represents what the item actually is. Code as subfield $x when it represents what the item is about. When in doubt, consult your authority control librarian.

Customer: Is there authoritative documentation to support the use of subfield $v?

Specialist: You bet there is. Form subdivisions were first identified with a diamond in the margin of the 5th edition of the Subject Cataloging Manual, and in the 1997 edition of Free-Floating Subdivisions: An Alphabetical Index. Subsequent editions provide even more guidance with explicit subfield coding. In addition, LC has begun to distribute subdivision authority records that provide subfield data in 18X fields and citations to free-floating subdivision lists in 073 fields. Also, subfield $v was first tested at the National Library of Medicine, so you know it’s safe and effective.

Customer: That’s reassuring. Are there any side effects?

Specialist: Subfield $v may be habit-forming. In a small number of cases, dizziness and nausea may occur, especially if retrospective conversion is contemplated. Operation of heavy machinery is not advised. As the label states, use only when it represents what the item cataloged actually is.

Customer: Vita-Vee brand Subfield $V --- I think I’ll try it today!

Specialist: When your form lacks vim and vitality, give it a boost with Vita Vee brand of Subfield $V. Just make the sign of the Vee, and ask your authority control librarian.

Both: Vita-Vee brand of Subfield $V: IT’S WHAT IT IS!!

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